Electrical junction device



Oct. 31, 1939. L. J. WERNER ELECTRICAL JUNCTION DEVICE Filed June 1,1938 I INVENTOR. L50 J. WERNER BY A TTORNE holes l2 for the screws I0and H.

sures a maximum amount of insulation between' Patented Oct. 31, 1939UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICALv JUNCTION DEVICE Leo J. Werner,Arlington, N. J.

Application June 1, 1938, Serial No. 211,165

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical junction device for the purposeof joining a plurality of wires carrying electrical current to or from amachine, switchboard, or some other electrical instrument.

It is the object of my invention to provide an electrical junctiondevice which will enable a maximum number of wires to be broughttogether at the junction point in the smallest possible space and at thelowest cost.

Other and further supplementary objects will be seen from a study of thespecification taken in connection with the annexed drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of my improved junction device, apart of the cover and number plate being removed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is an enlarged view, part in section and part in elevation,showing certain details of the junction device. 1

In the various views wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts,I is a block of insulating material which has a plurality of cross ortransverse bores 2, within which are positioned metallic connectors 3.As will be seen from Figure 2, the bores 2 are arranged in a pluralityof spaced rows and the holes themselves are arranged in staggeredrelation, one to the other, in the respective rows. By this arrangementthegreatest number of connectors 3 can be assembled in a giv'en size ofinsulating block, at the same time giving sufficient insulation betweenthe walls of the adjacent bores.

The connectors 3 are hollow or provided with holes therethrough toreceive the bared ends 4 and 5 of insulated conductors or cables 6 andI. As will be seen from Figures 2 and 6, the connectors 3 have the holestherein preferably eccentric so as to provide a thin wall 8 which may beindented as at 9, the indentation 9 acting as a stop for the bared ends4 and 5 of the said conductors. The ends 4 and 5 are engaged by theirrespective screws l0 and II which are positioned in holes l2 provided inthe block I.

As shown in 'Figure 1, the connectors 3 are preferably alternatelyofiset, and likewise, the

This also inthe screws l0 and II. Also as shown in Figure 1, the boresfor the connectors 3 are made so as keep moisture out of the connectionand lessens corrosion and electrolytic disintegration at the connector.10

Where a plurality of taps are desired to be made from one feed wirecoming to the junction device, the bottom thereof is made with a channelI3, in which a metallic plate I4 is positioned, beingheld in place byscrews l5 which go into 00- operative connectors 3 and are so positionedtherein, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, as to act, in each case, as astop for the conductor ends, similar to the indentation 9 of Figure 6.By making the plate M of sufiicient length, as many taps may betaken offfrom one lead wire as are desired.

In covering the holes I2, I use a designation strip l6 over which ispositioned a transparent plate H, the same being held to the block inany satisfactory manner as by screws l8. As shown in Figure 1, the blockI may be formed at one or both ends with lugs l9 having screw-holes 20therein for mounting purposes, or the block I may be provided at one orboth ends with bosses 2| on its lower surface and mounted by ascrew-hole 22 from an under-support; or the combination of the two maybe used as shown in Figure 2. As a matter of fact, the block may beformed to fit any desired mounting so that the junction device may beused in an outlet box for socalled BX cable, or may be mounted to act asa terminal block for motors and generators; or arranged for any othertype of mounting. It follows, of course, that the junction device may bemade with any number 40 of bores and supplied with their respectiveconnectors to'suit conditions; for example, for certain classes of workthere may be as many as two,

three and four dozen connectors mounted within the block, while for amotor only two or three connectors will be required. By making theblocks l with mounting bosses such as 2|, contact with the mountingsurface area is reduced and the possibility of moisture collecting onthe 50 block is thereby largely eliminated.

From what has been said, it will be understood that various changes maybe made in the mounting arrangement of the block and the parts carriedthereby, without departing from the spirit of the invention and thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1.. An electrical junction device comprising a block of insulatingmaterial having a plurality of spaced longitudinal rows of paralleltransverse bores of uniform diameter extending all the way through theblock and arranged in spaced and staggered relation, metallic connectorsremovably located in said bores, each connector having an eccentricallylocated longitudinal hole therethrough thereby having thin and thickwall portions, the thin wall being indented to form a conductor stopmidway between the ends of the connector, the thick wall portion havingscrewthreaded holes therethrough near the opposite ends of theconnectors, clamping screws located in said screw holes, the connectorsbeing materially shorter than the width of the block and the length ofthe bores, the block having holes leading from an easily accessible faceof the block into the bores for said clamping screws, the holes andscrews therein locating the connectors in the bores so the ends of theconnectors are spaced a substantial distance from the ends of the boresas and for the purpose described.

2. An electrical junction device as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that the connectors 1111 the bores in which they arelocated throughout the length of the connector while the bores are of adiameter such that the insulation, on the conductor to be used with agiven connector, fills the bore at opposite ends of the connectors.

3. An electrical junction device comprising a block of insulatingmaterial having parallel bores extending transversely entirely throughthe block, metallic connectors located in said bores but terminating asubstantial distance from opposite ends of the bores and fillingthebores for the length of the connectors, each connector having alongitudinal eccentrically located hole therethrough, thereby havingthick and thin wall portions, the block when installed in positionhaving holes leading from one easily accessible face to the bore,clamping screws located in said holes in the block and in the thick-wallportion of the connector at opposite ends thereof, and stop meansintermediate the ends of the connector and located in the thin-wallportion for positioning a conductor in the connector.

4. An electrical junction device comprising a block of insulatingmaterial having circular cross-bores therethrough, a metallic connectorslidably fitting snugly within each bore and tarminating well within theinterior of its bore, at least one hole extending from the face of theblock to each bore, a screw for each hole and being screw-threaded intoits connector and acting to hold the connector in place, said connectorhaving a hole therethrough to receive a conductor to be clamped by saidscrew, the insulation of the conductor extending within its bore, andmeans for taking off a plural number of taps from one connector and itsassociated conductor, said means including a metallic strip located in achannel in the bottom of the block, with screws going through the plateinto all the connectors desired to be cross-connected for the outgoingtaps.

5. An electrical junction device as set forth in claim 4, furthercharacterized in that the plate screws enter their respective connectorssubstantially midway 01 their ends and act as stops for the conductorends.

6. An electrical junction device comprising a block of insulatingmaterial having a plurality of spaced longitudinal rows of transversebores arranged in spaced and staggered relation, a metallic connectorhaving a longitudinal hole therethrough and located in each bore andhaving a length materially shorter than the length of the bore for thepurposes described, each connector having a clamping screw at each endfor clamping a bare conductor in the connector, the face of the blockhaving holes leading into the bores for access to said clamping screws,means for taking oiT a plural number of taps from one conductor and itsconnector, said means including a metallic plate located in a channel inthe bottom of the block and having screws going one each into eachconsecutive connector including the connector having said one conductorfastened thereto thereby connecting them all in parallel, said platescrews entering the hole in the respective connectors at approximatelythe midpoint thereof and acting as a stop for the bare conductor ends,and a covering and designation strip attached to the block over saidconnector screw holes.

7. An electrical junction device comprising, a block of insulatingmaterial having circular crossbores therethrough, a metallic connectorslidably fitting snugly within each bore and terminating well within theinterior of its bore, at least one hole extending from a side of theblock to each bore, a screw for each hole and being screwthreaded intoits connector to hold the connector in place, said connector having ahole therethrough to receive a conductor to be clamped by said screw,and means for taking off a plural number of taps from one connector andits associated conductor, said means including a metallic strip locatedin a channel on a side of the block, with screws going through the plateinto all the connectors desired to be cross-connected for the outgoingtaps.

LEO J. WERNER.

